Skeptic Project

Austrian economist Peter Boettke, a "kept Austrian" (analogous to a "kept woman") on the Koch brothers' payroll at George Mason University, complains about all the kooks his field attracts. He even wants to rebrand Austrian economics under a different name to try to turn off its crank magnetism:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703418004575455911922562120.html</p>

The resurgence of Austrian economics does have its hazards, Mr. Boettke says. The antigovernment fervor on cable-television shows and the Internet may have popularized its theories, but it also "reinforces the idea to critics that these are crackpot ideas," he said. He has tried to distance himself from conspiracy theorists and even dropped "Austrian" from the name of his blog. But he hasn't yet thought of a better term.

As Mike Huben, the noted skeptic of libertarianism, has written:

http://critiquesoflibertarianism.blogspot.com/2010/01/schadenfreude.html</p>

Austrian economics and creationism both suffer from the same big problem. When you dismiss criticism from fellow economists or scientists in favor of authority and bad philosophy, you lose the ability to prevent other fools from larding up your system with numerous contradictory and stupid ideas.